Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Fabulous Gallery Hop Weekend

Believe it or not, this past weekend was my first time going to the Short North Gallery Hop. I know it's unbelievable. I had a very nice time there hanging out with my friends, and checking out all the unique boutiques and vendors the hop had to offer.

I do have to be honest and say that I didn't do much shopping. Not because I couldn't find anything cute, but because it was too damn expensive. I don't know if it's just me, but, do I have to keep shopping at Forever 21 & Bebe to buy the trendy clothes that I like. I hate that. Don't get me wrong, I like shopping at both places, but, don't act like I am the only one who prays in the dressing room that no one else has your outfit on. Seriously, you know that if you purchase something cute from one of those stores, chances are........................... lol

The good thing about shopping at the hop is that it is a good source of inspiration. You can look at the high end stuff to get an idea of the kind of style you want. Also, the vendors usually sell items at a cheaper cost. I purchased some beautiful costume jewelry from an older lady, who was selling jewelry outside of Substance (a clothing store - I'll talk about them later) and even though it was a little more expensive it's so unique, its worth the price.

The dresses and tops shown above are some of the items that I WISH I could have bought. They are sold at Jinny a high end retail boutique www.shopjinny.com/ that sells contemporary women's fashion. Although I loved all of the items sold there because it really is a store for those who consider themselves trendsetters, again, couldn't buy a damn thing. All of the items shown above sell for over $600. If you can afford to shop there, you will find some really cute items. They also sell CC Skye which is one of my favorite jewelry lines.

One of the other boutiques that I liked is Substance. Substance has some nice stylish clothing. It's a bit expensive too, not as expensive as Jinny, but they sell some really nice clothing. It's also different in the fact that their clothing seem to be geared towards women who really are trying to get their grown woman on. It's kind of hip, but for the thirty something audience. I also like the fact that it's environmentally friendly. The racks at Substance hold elegant dresses, skirts, cotton, or cashmere sweaters and jewelry from local designers. They also carry their own line for Fashion Conscious People, which offers short-and long-sleeved pima cotton T-shirts and drawstring pants, and Design Lab (tees, dresses, and more). Don't be surprised if you hear the whir of a sewing machine from the upstairs lofted area, it's just the designers creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Pretty cool store! www.shopsubstance.com/